Advanced Micro Devices has quietly slashed pricing of its top-of-the-range eight-core AMD FX-8150 central processing units and adjusted pricing of some other chips in the light of the Intel Core i-series "Ivy Bridge" product launch. The eight-core flagship offering from AMD can now be obtained starting at $215 in the U.S.

AMD FX-8150 Black Edition (3.60GHz/4.20GHz, eight cores, 16MB total cache, 125W TDP, AM3+ form-factor) microprocessor officially costs $245 in 1000-unit quantities, but at present it can be acquired starting from $215 in the U.S. and starting from €180 ($238) in Europe. Such a significant difference between official price and actual price may indicate that AMD has quietly reduced the price of the FX-8150 model in the light of Intel's latest product launch as well as to clear the road for the new model FX-8170, which should become available in Q2 2012.

The less advanced FX-series microprocessor, the six-core FX-6200, is also available from $149 in the U.S., whereas the official price in 1000-unit quantities is $165.

AMD FX "Zambezi" multi-core microprocessors based on Bulldozer micro-architecture aimed at enthusiasts have failed to offer competitive performance when compared to high-end Intel Core i 2000-series "Sandy Bridge" microprocessors. Since the new Ivy Bridge chips are slightly faster than predecessors and by far more energy-efficient, the FX line will look even slower in demanding applications. Therefore, AMD needs to cut-down pricing and introduce faster models.